It is necessary, therefore, that this property should be passed on intact, and this can be done when on an average a farmer brings to maturity two children. Of these, on an average, one will be a boy and the other a girl, so that by adjustment farmer A can marry his daughter to farmer B, and marry the daughter of farmer C to his own son. In this case the son of farmer A gains by his wife’s dowry what his family lost by his sister’s marriage. As a result of this artificial limitation of the family, the population of France remains stationary, there is no pressure of numbers, and by thrift and care the people are prosperous and happy. While, however, this may suit the convenience of individual French men and women, it is fatal for the future of the French race, who are becoming insignificant in numbers and influence as compared with those nations whose citizens have more fully accepted the duties of parenthood. It is interesting in this relationship to contrast the births, deaths and marriages, together with the estimated population of France, with those of the United Kingdom, which may be done by reference to the following table taken from Tables 40 and 54 of the Fifty-Fourth Annual Report of the Registrar General’s Returns. POPULATION, MARRIAGES, BIRTHS, DEATHS. -----+-------------------------------+------------------------------- | United Kingdom. | France. +------------+------------------+------------+------------------ | | Proportion per | | Proportion per Year.| | 1000 Persons. | | 1000 Persons. | Population.+------------------+ Population.+------------------ | | Mar. Bths. Dths.| | Mar. Bths. Dths. -----+------------+------------------+------------+------------------ 1867 | 30,409,132 | 15·2 33·8 20·8 | 38,188,749 | 15·7 26·4 22·7 1871 | 31,555,694 | 15·4 33·7 21·5 | 36,544,067 | 14·4 22·6 24·81 1875 | 32,838,758 | 15·3 33·9 22·1 | 36,638,163 | 16·4 26·0 23·0 1879 | 34,302,557 | 13·8 33·3 20·5 | 37,365,544 | 15·1 25·0 22·5 1883 | 35,449,411 | 14·4 32·0 19·6 | 37,866,000 | 15·0 24·8 22·2 1887 | 36,598,235 | 13·5 30·7 19·0 | 38,320,000 | 14·5 23·5 22·0 1891 | 37,795,475 | 14·6 30·4 20·0 | 38,343,000 | 15·0 22·6 22·6 -----+------------+------------------+------------+------------------